Screw-cylinder boat.



H. G. BERRY.

- SCREW GYLINDER BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1911.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. q. BERRY. SCREW CYLINDER BOAT. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1911.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2.

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- TED STATES .r'r

IIARR'Y C. BERRY, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAPID TRANSIT NAVIGATION COMPANY, OF -LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 'A CORIE 'ORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

SCREW-CYLINDER BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 06h. 15,1912.

. Application filed Augiist 'S, 1911. Serial No. 643,044.

' ating the boat in such manner that the re-' sistance to its forward movement will be reducedto a minimum, and maximum speed will be obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide for eliminating'the head-on resistance of the air as well as the water inorder to enable maximum speed to be attained. Other objects will appear hereinafter. The accompanying drawings illustrate the embodiments of the invention, and referring thereto: Figure 1 is a vertical section .of the boat. Fig.2 is a section thereof on line a2 --m in Fig. 1. 'Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views showing different forms of the spiral propeller blades for'the screw cylinders Fig. 4* is a plan view of the rudder devices and their supporting means. Fig. 5

is a plan of another form of the invention. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line a0 -a? in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a partial plan of another form of the invention.

Referringto Figs. 1 and 2, .the boat comprises a body or hull 1, and screw cylinders below and ateither side of the center of said hull and connected thereto by frames 3, said screw cylinders being hollow and acting as -buoys or floats as well as propeller means.

The body or hull 1 may be tubular or cylindrical in form with a conicalforward end portion 4, and a convergent stern portion .5 and may be provided with one or more doors 6 for entrance or exit, and with windows or port holes 7. It is preferred that the flotative power of the screw cylinders- 2 should be suflicient to maintain the body or hull 1 out of the water at all times so that the only resistance to propulsion of the body or hull is that offered by the air.

The .screw cylinders may be formed in sections comprising, for example, a forward section 2 and a rear section 2 at each side, the forward and rear sections 2 and 2 being in axial alin'ement and mounted on the same shaft 10. there being a shaft 10 at each side of the boat mounted in bearings 11 on the frame '3; I prefer to provide a forward hearing at the front of the forward section an intermediate bearing between the two sections and a rear bearing aft of the rear section. Screw propeller ribs or fins 13 are providedon the cylinders 2 and 2 extending in a continuous'helix from the forward to the rear end of each cylinder sec- 't1on.- These ribs may be curved on one or both faces as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,- Fig. 3

showing the rib 13 with only one face curved and Fig. 1 showing the rib 13 with both faces curved. The forward cylinder section is convergent or tapered in conical form at its front end, and the rear portion of the rear cylinder section 2; .isalsc convergent or tapered at its rear end so as to diminish the resistance of the waterwhere it contacts with and leaves the cylinder sections. The two screw cylinder members at the respective sides of the boat are driven by any suitable power plant consisting, for example,.-of a motor 15 connected by trans- -.mission means 15 to the respective shafts 10 so as to drive the screw cylinders in such 13 on the water forces the boat forward. Additional driving effect may be secured by propellers 16 rotatablymounted on the shafts 10 at the'rear end thereof and driven from an auxiliary motor 18 through transmission means 19.

The screw cylinders 2' and 2 are preferably provided with internal. partitions 20 dividing the same into water tight compartments 21 so as to reduce the danger of sinking in case of injury thereto.

' In addition to the above described means for eliminating the head-on resistance of the water, I may provide means for eliminating. the head-on resistance of the air on the upper portion orlood'y of the boat, said means consisting of a blower 27 operated by r a motor or dri ving means 28 and having its intake connected to a suction pipe 29 lead-, ing forwardly to the apex of the bow of the body 1, and the outlet of said blower or fan" being connected to a pipe 30 leading forvwardly and terminating at the apex of the bow in the nozzle 30 surrounding the inlet -1n anner that the reaction of the screw ribs opening of the intake pipe 29 and opening,

rearwardly in cone shape, so that by operation of the blower air is continuously drawn in through sald inlet and is forced out throughsaid outlet in a stream extendof the boat, said screw cylinders 33 being provided with helical propeller ribs 35 and being driven by transmission connections 36 froman engine 38 in the boat body 31, so

as to force the water rearwardly at each side of the bow and suck it from in front of the vessel. In this form of the invention the body 31 maybe more or less submerged and thefunction of the screw cylinders 33 in addition to sustaining a part or all of the load and propelling the boat forward, is to forcethe water from in front of the vessel so as to reduce to a minimum the head-on resistance. Screw cylinders 40 are also provided at the rear of the stern of the boat body 31, being mounted on shafts 41 jour-- naled at each side of such portion of the boat body, on bearings 42 andco nnected by transmission means 43 to an engine 44.

These rear screw cylinders 40 are provided with helical ribs 46 so that in their rotation,

a propulsive effect will be produced on the boat. Auxiliary propelling devices may be employed, consisting of screw propellers 48 rotatably mounted on the shafts 49 aforesaid, and connected by transmission means 50 to engines 51 for rotation thereof.

The screw cylinders are preferably of sufficient size and flotative capacity to sustain the boat body with itsload, in case of in-.

jury to the body. If desired, however, these cyllnders may be made of small diameter,

and as shown in Fig. 7 they may be formed as shafts 53 carrying propeller blades 54, for

forcing the water away from in front of the vessel and propeling the vessel.

The operation isas follows: The several motive devices being set in operation, the screw cylinders 2 and 2 are rotated prefer.-

ably in :such manner as to turn inwardly at thelr lower or submerged portions, the helical ribs being so arranged that in this rotation reaction is produced on the water, tending to drive the vessel forward. As this driving action is exerted continuously throughout the length of'the screw cylinders,

the resistance to the forward movement is eliminated along such cylinders, and the full N body, said cylinders 'being'hollow to adapt effect of the power is obtained in propelling the vessel. The vessel may be operated with partial submersion of the screw cylinders, as indicated by the full line water level in Fig. 1, but if desired the cylindersmay be fully submerged, as indicated by the dotted lines. of water level in said figure, and in that case the auxiliary propellers 16 may be-employed, said propellers being driven at higher speed than the screw cylinders. When operating in this 5 manner, the function of the screw cylinders is to eliminate the resistance of the water to the passage of the boat therethrough.

The screw cylinder ribs mayhave projecblades, see Fig. l, for giving additional propelling effect. These projections may e'xtend over only the rear end portion of the ribs, as shown, or they may extend throughout any desired portion of the length of the ribs.

For steeringthe boat, rudders 56 may be pivoted at 57 on a part of frames 3, to swing in vertical planes, said rudders extending at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the boat, in such manner that they are rearwardly 'divergent. Said rudders are connected by cables 58 to a steering wheel 59, so that therudders are operated reversely, either rudder being drawn up .as the other is lowered into the water. Normally both rudders are out of the water so that they oppose no resistance to the. forward motion of the boat, and when the boat is to be deflected to either side, the steering wheel is operated to lower the rudder on that side into the water. A

wheel box or cover 60 may be prqvided on frame 3, extending over the screw cylinders, to reduce the splash. VVhatIclaim is: The combination of a boat body, a plurality of cylinders extending at each side of the center line of said body and below said them to serve as floats for the body, helical propeller ribs on the outside of said cylinders, means for rotating said cylinders to propel the boat, said cylinders having tapered forward ends, a propeller at the rear 110 end of each cylinder, mounted to rotate in-f dependently of said cylinder, and means for driving said propeller. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set,

my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 115 2nd day of August, 1911.

, V HARRY O. BERRY.

In presence of V ARTHlZJRaP. KNIGHT, GLADYs vUssELL.

V lions orextensions 13' forming propeller 

